I have a hate-hate relationship with parking wardens.

[Billcoke]

Anyone here have similar bad experience to share?

 

--------------

By Reggie J

Tue, Mar 24, 2009

The New Paper

 

LIKE many motorists, I have a hate-hate relationship with parking wardens.

 

I believe their sole function is to slap the maximum number of fines on the maximum number of windscreens, cause the maximum amount of inconvenience and use the minimum amount of discretion.

 

I can remember a time when they were helpful.

 

If you stopped and waited for another car to vacate a space without holding up the traffic behind, they wouldn't book you.

 

They turned a blind eye if you parked briefly on a single yellow line, as long as you were not obstructing other vehicles.

 

Now they pounce, their eyes full of dollar signs.

 

I was in Chinatown the other day with my sister and my wife, and we were conscious that the time on our coupon was almost up.

 

Though we had heavy bags to carry, I hurried the two women, and a short distance away, spotted the warden, hovering near our car like a vulture ready to pounce.

 

I shouted to him that we were back. I even broke into a short run. He waved to me, slapped a fine on the windscreen, and walked off.

 

I noted that we were all of five minutes late.

 

An hour or so later, after we had re-parked, I spotted him again, eating at a nasi padang stall in the next street. I couldn't resist it.

 

As I passed his table, I said: 'Enjoy your lunch.'

 

He looked up, smiled, and said: 'Join me.'

 

I replied: 'Can't lah, cannot afford.'

 

And walked on.

 

We thought of appealing the fine, but decided it was too much trouble.

 

Sadly, this is now typical of the official approach to what is public service.

 

It is a cash cow.

 

And it is all rules, rules, rules.

 

Motoring in Singapore is already stressful with the high taxes, ERP charges, traffic jams.

 

And in addition to all that, we have these over-eager parking wardens.

 

I would say the old adage that the rulebook is a wise man's guide and a fool's bible has never been so convincingly demonstrated as in Singapore now.

 

Forget the public, forget service, forget sense, discretion, judgment, flexibility and long live the regulations, unto the third and fourth sub-paragraphs of page 503.

 

What can we do, except maybe to hope they get their comeuppance when they park their car somewhere and another friendly warden slaps them with a fine.

 

The writer is a former Singaporean marketing professional.

Edited March 25, 2009 by Billcoke

[Route88]

I think he refering to URA parking warden?

I load stuff into my parked car inside their lot oso must display coupon although abt to leave.

If u in their lot waiting also must put coupon

Edited March 25, 2009 by Route88

[Billcoke]

I think he refering to URA parking warden

 

 

Need help, tried to create poll, but the poll disappears after click "Close Poll Form".

[Thestig]

This is what you can expect from now on when enforcement is taken over by a privatized corporation. Just as even the most powerful company director has targets, these parking wardens have targets to meet as well.

[Pcslim]

Frankly speaking, if a person break rule or was at fault in the first place, just have to prepare for worst and pray for the best - prepare to kena the fine yet hope that the warden will be flexible and kind enough to let u off. But if he sticks to the former, dun think quite right for us to put all blame on him.

 

[David]

You believe what the paper says?

[Route88]

Need help, tried to create poll, but the poll disappears after click "Close Poll Form".

 

Ask moderator,i cannot do for you. No excess

[Falc]

Usually 5 minutes late, they will close eyes. Even tio fine it is just $6 no?

Edited March 25, 2009 by Falc

[Advisor]

was stopping the car at Load/Unload lot of my HDB block

go home to bring the stuff down and put it in boot

then find the summon in windscreen.

[Toapayohkid]

they just doing their job. but their days are numbered coz the worse evil is here. erp-type parking in hdb car carks getting more common. those type can cheat! at least with parking warden got cat and mouse game of win some lose some

[Adrianli]

they just doing their job. but their days are numbered coz the worse evil is here. erp-type parking in hdb car carks getting more common. those type can cheat! at least with parking warden got cat and mouse game of win some lose some

 

Even wif ERP parking, the wardens will still be ard. Cos they need to check if u had parked in a red lot w/o season parking. Higher fine amount.

 

Unless they com out with individual lots ERP parking.

[Tatkoon]

so free to write to press instead of appealing?

Edited March 25, 2009 by Tatkoon

[David]

With nano technology, each parking lot can c/w a chip that is programmable to differentiate if a car w/o a valid season parking label that has parked in a season lot. Then the registration number of the vehicle will be captured by the control centre and you can either be notified by mail, sms or email.

 

A photo may even be captured inthe case of a handicap lot violation.

[Windchoco]

Anyone here have similar bad experience to share?

 

--------------

By Reggie J

Tue, Mar 24, 2009

The New Paper

 

LIKE many motorists, I have a hate-hate relationship with parking wardens.

 

I believe their sole function is to slap the maximum number of fines on the maximum number of windscreens, cause the maximum amount of inconvenience and use the minimum amount of discretion.

 

I can remember a time when they were helpful.

 

If you stopped and waited for another car to vacate a space without holding up the traffic behind, they wouldn't book you.

 

They turned a blind eye if you parked briefly on a single yellow line, as long as you were not obstructing other vehicles.

 

Now they pounce, their eyes full of dollar signs.

 

I was in Chinatown the other day with my sister and my wife, and we were conscious that the time on our coupon was almost up.

 

Though we had heavy bags to carry, I hurried the two women, and a short distance away, spotted the warden, hovering near our car like a vulture ready to pounce.

 

I shouted to him that we were back. I even broke into a short run. He waved to me, slapped a fine on the windscreen, and walked off.

 

I noted that we were all of five minutes late.

 

An hour or so later, after we had re-parked, I spotted him again, eating at a nasi padang stall in the next street. I couldn't resist it.

 

As I passed his table, I said: 'Enjoy your lunch.'

 

He looked up, smiled, and said: 'Join me.'

 

I replied: 'Can't lah, cannot afford.'

 

And walked on.

 

We thought of appealing the fine, but decided it was too much trouble.

 

Sadly, this is now typical of the official approach to what is public service.

 

It is a cash cow.

 

And it is all rules, rules, rules.

 

Motoring in Singapore is already stressful with the high taxes, ERP charges, traffic jams.

 

And in addition to all that, we have these over-eager parking wardens.

 

I would say the old adage that the rulebook is a wise man's guide and a fool's bible has never been so convincingly demonstrated as in Singapore now.

 

Forget the public, forget service, forget sense, discretion, judgment, flexibility and long live the regulations, unto the third and fourth sub-paragraphs of page 503.

 

What can we do, except maybe to hope they get their comeuppance when they park their car somewhere and another friendly warden slaps them with a fine.

 

The writer is a former Singaporean marketing professional.

 

Wa Bro,

 

U shout and run to him he still can happily ticket u arr? Nabeh, I cfm will be v TL liao lor. U still can smile at him... power.... lol

[Singaporean1965]

was stopping the car at Load/Unload lot of my HDB block

go home to bring the stuff down and put it in boot

then find the summon in windscreen.

 

Bro "Advisor", you already paid the fine? Actually i kena a few times, different Town Councils, and i always appeal and got waived. Just need to write in and appeal and save $100, quite worth it lah

[Gadgeter]

what do you need to poll?

[Ngck]

was stopping the car at Load/Unload lot of my HDB block

go home to bring the stuff down and put it in boot

then find the summon in windscreen.

 

 

just this month.... after parking my car and walking home...

 

01 March 2009 Sunday 12:15am.. wardens can be seen checking on season parking lot cars and only season parking

 

lazy/forgetful ass out there, just too bad. you asses are already taken.

 

this is how kian peng the wardens have become.....

 

oh yar.. the warden tag team with another and drove there and park in a season parking lot.

 

i wonder if they have a season parking coupon

 

 

[Carcraze]

It should be printed on your summon the expiry time of your last coupon. If so, and the summon you received was less than 10 minutes thereafter, your appeal would very likely turn out to be successful. Give a try.